MOSCOW, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Russia will improve its air and space defense
systems to counter possible threats from other nations, the country's air force
commander said Tuesday.

Other countries, particularly the United States, will acquire new weapons
such as hypersonic vehicles by 2030, and therefore will be able to deliver
coordinated high-precision strikes from air and space against any target on
Russian territory, Col. Gen. Alexander Zelin told a news conference.

Russia needs to upgrade its weapons and systems in order to counter such a
potential, Zelin said.

In line with the new concept, air-space defense brigades will be created
within the Russian Air Force and will be equipped with advanced S-400 and S-500
air defense systems, he said.

"The S-500 system is being developed under an original design ... and will
be capable of destroying hypersonic and ballistic targets," Zelin said.

The commander said plans to develop hypersonic aircraft have not yet
progressed beyond the theoretical stage. Russia's fifth-generation fighter plane
was expected to perform its first test flight this autumn, he
said.